


Truth, shardlike

by Brynnen, TwaCorbies (Brynnen)



Series: Avengers Recovering and Reassembling [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt, Lazarus act, Protective Tony Stark, Recovery, Reevaluation, Shield is not nice, Using your words, description of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 06:48:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12405192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brynnen/pseuds/Brynnen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brynnen/pseuds/TwaCorbies
Summary: Phil's got a reputation in Shield as a miracle worker, coming back from the dead only cemented it.Is this a job too far though? Reassembling the Avengers might be a job on a level with fixing up Humpty Dumpty.





	Truth, shardlike

Phil straightened his tie and stood gingerly, Natasha following his every move while appearing to be engrossed in a copy of Hola magazine. There was no sound from the crawlspace in the ceiling above him, but Phil knew Clint was there. It made his already painful chest ache more, seeing his two assets so rattled and clingy. He was going to have words with Fury about that nasty stunt he'd pulled with the cards - sure the team had pulled together when it counted, but as soon as the threat was gone they'd fallen apart. Nat and Clint were wrecks, not that most people would notice, Thor and Loki had vanished and...

  
Phil had reviewed the footage of the remaining Avengers' only appearance since the battle of New York. Stark looked careworn and tired, the horrors he'd seen visible in his dark eyes. Banner had lost weight and looked haunted and tired like he'd been working to keep his mind off anticipating what would be imposed on him next. Even Captain Rogers looked taut as a bowstring and ill at ease, if in better health than the other two.

  
Phil wondered if, with the loss of everyone else, Steve had supported the raid to free Selvig not because he approved, but because he couldn't stand to lose any more teammates.

  
'What did you make of Stark, Banner and Rogers collecting Dr Selvig?'

  
'Selvig's interment resonated with Banner and to a lesser extent Stark. Stark also holds resentment for Shield which was likely a motivating factor. Rogers is mourning your loss and the fragmentation of the team, he clings to the remaining two members and likely supported them against his primary instincts in order to show leadership and dedication to the team.'

  
Phil nodded in agreement at Natasha's analysis. 'He is trying to reforge the remaining Avengers he knows are around into a new team. I think we'd better get over there before he succeeds and we get locked out.'

  
Clint dropped out of the ceiling and landed next to him. 'Sure thing, bossman.'

  
Steve carried on peeling and chopping potatoes, while Erik (the bemused scientist had insisted on bring addressed by his first name) tasted and seasoned the hot pot. Steve had hoped dragging Bruce and Tony out of the lab might get them to wind down and relax, but the two of them were bouncing ideas off each other in a breathless back and forth, finishing each others sentences with words that sounded to Steve like they were just making terms up as they went along.

  
Jane looked up from the magazine she was reading and gave Steve a rueful smile at the pair's rapid fire talk.The young woman looked almost as perplexed by the conversation as Steve felt and he didn't know if he should be worried or reassured that the 'science bros'' conversation went over the head of the twenty-first century scientist's head too.

  
Steve had no idea what they were talking about, but seeing the pair like this was an eye opener. Tony was excited and full of child-like excitement with none of his usual cocky cynicism. He showed none of the rebellious tendency to undermine people with Bruce that characterised his time with Shield representatives. Bruce was less lively and loud, but no less intense. He lost the slightly stooping body language he usually had when people were looking at him and when Tony appeared to challenge him (Steve guessed Tony's remark about merely matching performance parameters being deplorably lacking vision was challenging something Bruce said) he gave a soft chuckle and came straight back with a probably smart remark about feedback loops that made Tony cheerfully call 'touche!'

  
'Do you understand any of what they're on about, Erik?' Steve asked as he put the potatoes in the oven to roast and started preparing the vegetables.

  
The older man made a see-sawing gesture with his hand. 'Eh, some of it. It's not really my area, although I hadn't known either of them were expert in biomechanics. I understand enough to know I'd be out of my depth joining in.' He was matter of fact about it, not embarrassed or annoyed by being left out or sounding ignorant. Mind you, Erik was the foremost expert on a branch of astrophysics both Bruce and Tony had mentioned was very hard - maybe that made him feel secure enough to admit no one could know it all.

  
'Sir, three visitors are coming up in the lift.' Jarvis interrupted.

  
'Hostile?' Both Tony and Steve asked in unison, making eye contact to acknowledge each other.

  
'All three are cleared for entry to this level.'

  
Nonetheless Steve beckoned for Jane to join him and Selvig behind the study kitchen island and he saw Tony casually flop onto the large couch facing away from the lift doors, knowing the billionaire he'd considered the combat cover potential of all the furniture before buying it. Bruce blinked, but at a gesture joined Tony on it.

  
They waited in tense silence for the unknown visitors to arrive, the ping of the lift's arrival loud in the quiet atmosphere of the room. The doors opened and Steve had to grab the counter edge to stay standing as his knees went weak with shock.

  
'Jarvis, scan and identify!' Stark had a taser in each hand, trained on the trio and beside him Banner was breathing deeply, eyes wide at the sight of Coulson flanked by Hawkeye and Black Widow.

  
Phil spread his hands, keeping them low and as soothing as possible. Stark and Banner were staring at him from over the back of a couch like shy children and Captain Rogers looked as if he'd seen a ghost, a wooden spoon threatening to fall from his lax grip.

  
'There was a funeral, we buried you!' Captain Rogers choked out, his whole expression pained. He was stood protectively in front of Dr Selvig and his doctoral student, who seemed utterly confused and somewhat frightened. Even pale with shock and feeling betrayed, Stark and Rogers had good strategic and protective instincts, using the furniture as cover.

  
'Oh, I intend to have strong words with Fury about that when I'm recovered.' Phil didn't attempt to conceal the grim anger that simmered in his voice. Privately he hoped his legs wouldn't give out before he'd convinced the others of his identity.

  
'All signs and biomarkers are consistent with those of Agent Coulson.' Jarvis reported his findings, which eased the tension in the room fractionally.

  
'This isn't the first time Fury's pulled some despicable shit on me, but that is fucking low!' Stark growled. 'Jarvis, monitor the entity suspected of being Agent Coulson. You're on probation, Agent.' Stark changed focus to warn Phil, then switched subjects again. 'I've lost my appetite.'

  
With that he grabbed Banner, who was pale and silent, and fled towards the labs. Steve sighed at the failure of his cunning plan to get the scientists to eat and rest.

  
'I need a drink.' Tony sloshed whisky into a tumbler and downed it in one, then poured himself another and looked at Bruce, then poured him a small brandy. 'Here, drink up. You look like you might faint.'

  
Bruce took the glass Tony pressed into his hands and choked down a sip of the burning liquor. It made his breath catch in his throat and warmed his belly, counteracting the sick feeling that had taken up residence there. 'That's just low.'

  
'Yeah. I've done some shitty things in my time, but Shield makes me look like a damn' choirboy.' Tony huffed a sigh out, then drained his second glass of scotch. 'I don't wanna think about it. You want to see if that neural link-up idea you had is feasible?'

  
Bruce had a second sip of the brandy, shuddering less at the taste. The alcohol had done it's job, he looked less pale and clammy. 'I like that idea. I was also thinking materials, maybe recycled plastic laminated between hollow platforms of reinforcing triangular cross sections for strength. Try and reduce material costs to make this tech accessible to as many as possible?'

  
'Eh, there are limits, but using cheaper materials with enough reinforcing or smart engineering to be fit for purpose might work.'

  
Developing the new prosthetic limb designs was the perfect escape for them, constructive and challenging enough to take their minds off the traumas of the past couple of weeks. It'd also earn Stark Industries a pretty penny once he released the finished products onto the market.

  
Steve tore his gaze away from the door Tony and Bruce had vanished through and looked at Clint and Natasha. 'You think he's the real Agent Coulson?'

  
They both nodded and flanked the agent protectively, helping him to a seat on the couch.

  
'Well since Tony and Bruce aren't staying for dinner I guess there's some hotpot going begging if you guys are interested?' He resumed chopping the vegetables, mind racing to try and absorb what was going on.

  
It could have gone better, but then it could have gone as lot worse. They might not believe him, but no one had tried to kill or capture him, so Phil had had worse days. Captain Rogers was looking at him as if he were a piece of unexploded ordinance and neither of the two remaining scientists seemed keen on going any where near the trio. Trust in Shield was at an all-time low and this was Phil's starting point for reforging the Avengers?

  
If he were the sort of person to despair then this might have done it for him. Natasha and Clint were flanking him in full protective mode, viewing the other half of the team with a controlled readiness to spring into violent action against them. There were two barely functional teams to turn into one highly functional unit. Phil began reviewing the arsenal of techniques he had for forging relationships, healing the damaged and fostering team spirit.

  
Team games only worked if people cooperated, but if Clint were willing to reach out to Stark and Natasha might be willing to do the same with Rogers... even if he doubted she was willing to get anywhere near the other two - especially Banner. That might not heal the rift though, he needed everyone to get to know each other and develop trust. Games nights? Maybe roleplaying? If everyone could start over with clean sheets, pretend they were just average joes or something?

  
He blinked, the techniques were used in therapy to help people explore issues in a safe, therapeutic environment. Clint and Natasha would probably go along with it, if only in the spirit of oneupmanship - to show off to the other three that they could. Steve may or may not go along with it - he didn't seem to have enough competitiveness in his nature for Nat and Clint to goad him, but if he could see the benefit he might play along. Tony might laugh the whole thing off, unless Phil got him to play with Bruce and presented it as beneficial for the volatile force behind the Hulk.

  
Bruce... Phil sighed at the thought. Natasha had worked with him in the battle, but after their disasterous first meeting she avoided him where possible and Bruce avoided pretty much everyone except Stark where possible. Maybe solo sessions for Banner while the rest of the team got their house in order before introducing that particular variable.

  
Phil staked out the communal areas for the next few days and asked Clint and Natasha to come to Stark Tower every day. He knew there was space enough for the whole team to live here in full-size apartments, but he wasn't going to ask and he wasn't going to impose. He just turned up every morning at 0900 hours ready to work and sat in the expansive kitchen come sitting room that was between the lab/gym levels and the bedrooms/apartments.

  
Sometimes he headed down to the gym to slowly begin the exercises his occupational therapist had prescribed, other times he wandered the other parts of the tower that were communal, looking in on the labs (after Jarvis had cleared it as safe) checking out the several gaming rooms (Clint had taken to hanging out in the one with the pool table and dart board, coaxing Captain Rogers into playing) and so on, but mostly he caught up on his work and napped on the couch. He was willing to play a long game if necessary.

  
'Why do you keeping showing up, Agent?' Stark asked as he rummaged in the fridge one afternoon, several days after Coulson's Lazarus act had played out.

  
Phil turned down the volume on the episode of supernanny he'd been half-watching while reading up on therapeutic roleplay.

  
'Officially I'm here as Shield's handler for the Avengers. Partly I'm here because at the office I'd be gawked at or have to listen to ridiculous gossip. The other part is that I want you guys to get used to me as well as each other so when we're ready to start working together more formally it's an easier transition.' He shifted, grimacing at the pain the motion caused him. 'Fury wants to see you all training together like good soldiers, but I've persuaded him that a different approach is required. We need you more than you need us after all.'

  
He wouldn't have admitted that even a month ago to Stark, when getting the man to work with them rather than against them had been almost a pitched battle, but he'd earnt it.

  
'Huh.' Tony straightened up to stare at Phil, amusement stealing across his face. 'Never thought I'd hear one of you guys admit that. Go figure.'

  
'Each of you have a gift that has saved the world. It's a harsh world with constant threats to it, some of which only supers can fight. You and Captain Rogers already effectively volunteered, him by consenting to the serum, you by building the Iron Man suits. Clint and Nat have been working for Shield already to keep people safe.' Phil felt a thrill that Tony was listening, letting him explain. 'I know the team is probably going to be needed. But, you and Banner are civilians, Captain Rogers is having to acclimatise to the twenty-first century and didn't sign up for this. I want you all to be able to do what is needed, but not at your own expense. I don't want to strongarm you into it - resentment could destroy the team before it even reforms.'

  
'I can't even question your willingness to do what is necessary, can I?' Tony's eyes flicked down to Phil's chest even as he touched the arc reactor in his own chest.

  
With that he drifted off back towards his lab, having failed to get anything to eat in his distraction.

  
Phil felt heartened by the conversation and resumed trying to make a workable plan of action with a sense of hope. It would take time, but some things were worth the wait.

  
Tony balked at Phil's suggestion when he made it the next day. 'So in the interest of team-building you want to exclude Bruce from the team-building exercise? The woman who successfully pulled off an octuple-cross and whose job is spying and killing her way across the world is easier to deal with than sweet little Bruce Banner? Really? Cuz she scares the crap out of me.'

  
Tony let his arms flop back down to his sides and sighed, Phil saw the moment a decision was made and obeyed, waiting to hear it. 'Do me a favour Agent, siddown there and listen to me for a change. I'll tell you a few things you need to know about Bruce and why you should be doing whatever it takes to earn his... well, maybe respect rather than trust, you're Shield after all.'

  
Phil schooled his expression into receptive impassivity. The intensity in those dark brown eyes was startling. The man was usually so glib and smart-arsed that Phil was surprised to see raw honesty in there. He didn't dare speak for fear of shattering the fragile peace that had settled. As he waited for Tony to frame whatever was coming, he realised dimly that Tony didn't just need to learn how to play well with and trust the other Avengers. Tony needed Phil's respect; something in his guarded manner gave Phil a hunch that this protection of Banner might be a displacement of his own hurt. Shield had rejected him once, Stark had seen the report on his exclusion from the Avengers Initiative and then Phil had bypassed his security, ruined what in retrospect had probably been a rare date with Pepper and strong armed him into joining the team he'd so pointedly been refused invitation to previously. It had been necessary, but Phil realised he had a lot of ground to make up with Tony. He focussed respectfully on the billionaire, showing he valued the man's input.

  
When Tony started talking again his voice was soft, defeated, Phil winced at the guilt his newly sensitised (when it came to Stark) conscience filled his gut with. 'He's waiting for Shield to lock him up and start expermimenting on him, you know?

  
'Oh I know Fury said Shield was bringing in him for his gamma ray expertise, but everyone knows you guys really want the Hulk and Bruce comes along with him as a package deal you have to tolerate.' Stark slotted several pieces of intricately segmented metal together, tinkering away and talking seemingly to his busy hands.

  
'Do you know how smart Bruce is?' Another jump in topic, communication was going to be a real stumbling point until Tony got a hold on that.

  
'He's a genius.' Phil spoke softly trying not to break the mood. That was on the man's file and frankly it was evident in the way he kept up with Stark when the rest of the room had tuned out the billionaire's monologues.

  
'No, I'm a genius, Agent. Bruce... Bruce is smarter than that. Seriously, I never have to slow down and explain, or rephrase myself even in the areas he's not a specialist in. His medical and biological knowledge knock mine out of the park; in the two weeks we've worked together we've developed a series of biomechanical prostheses that revolutionise the field and developed a form of elasticised fabric that keeps Bruce from being done for public indecency, not to mention the analytical work on both the Tesseract and staff we've done with Erik and Jane. Work that takes teams of scientists months, Hell, years to accomplish and we did it in weeks but all you guys see is a weapon to point at the bad guy.'

  
Poor little rich boy. The thought snuck unbidden into Phil's mind, but without spite. Bruce got Tony in a way no one else seemed to have bothered to, including him, a man whose job it was to see how people ticked and get the best out of them. Phil resolved to do better.

  
'He is so smart and can switch fields so easily, but in two weeks he's been able to do more good than what he's been able to manage in the past two years thanks to Shield and Ross' bullshit.' Stark looked up from the growing construct on the bench in front of him. He was utterly serious in a way that unsettled Phil. 'Do you want to see what the army and Shield have done to him? Makes me shiver.' He lifted a hand to prime a display and sent it swooping over to Phil.

  
It was a research log. A green gowned figure rattled off a series of scientific observations, then grasped the camera and reangled it downwards to the shining metal table below and the figure on it. Phil blanched at the sight of an unconscious Banner, limp form pinned down by unpadded metal restraints. His abdomen was sliced open and held agape by cold metal.

  
'The subject's form remains stable.' As the voice rattled off a laundry list of medications Phil realised that Banner wasn't unconscious after all. The scientist's eyes opened and he looked around, head lolling slightly as he craned to get a full view of the room, a weary agony etched his face as he mouthed 'not this again' and a breath shuddered through him. Phil swallowed hard as the motion caused his exposed organs to wobble.

  
'Stop!' Phil cried out, shoving the display away. It turned his stomach, but more importantly felt like a breach of privacy. If Bruce wanted him to see - unlikely as that was - he could show Phil himself.

  
'And that's just the stuff they had the balls to film. When they do that shit to Iraqi POWs it's a war crime, when it's Bruce it somehow becomes justifiable? This country's done a lot of things that makes me ashamed to be an American, but this....' Tony's voice had risen to a pained yell before he curbed himself.

  
There was a long silence as Tony inhaled deeply through his nose and tinkered some more with the arm he was building. No wonder Tony could not play nicely with Shield, not when he clearly viewed them as complicit in torture. Torture of a noncom, to make it worse.

  
They'd played the omniscience card hard on Tony, trying to bludgeon him into doing what they needed, what the world needed. If Tony could find this, then likely Shield could too and Phil realised they might as well have strapped Banner down, if they'd known about it and done nothing. A nasty suspicion formed about whether the thought of Hulk as a weapon and the need to heap injustices on Banner in order to keep him angry, feeding the Hulk, had trumped basic humanity.

  
It was easy to forget sometimes that Tony was not just book-smart, but a mature businessman and ex arms dealer wise in the ways of the world and who'd been tortured himself. Impulsive, alcoholic, egoistic and flawed as he might be, Stark might well be a damn sight more than he'd been given credit for. Phil hastily adjusted his expectations of the man. Stark might sometimes be contrary, but he was seldom only contrary, the banal himbo act masking layers of other motives.

  
'No wonder Bruce tried to scare off Nat when she turned up to lasso him and drag him back to America. This is what is waiting for him. As soon as you guys decide Hulk is too hard to deal with, he's sure he's going back there. It's not happening over my dead body. You hear me Agent? Your goons make a move on Bruce and I will destroy your pathetic little spy game. I like Hulk, sure, he saved my life, which is pretty important to me, but you are letting one of the finest minds of our generation go to waste because of stupid fucking warmongering! People are suffering and dying because he can't do his thing and solve it! Everyone he's ever known seems to have wanted a piece of him and has been willing to carve it right out his flesh! Not any more and anyone who tries answers to me.'

  
It wasn't the scariest threat Phil had experienced, but the sincerity in it sent a shiver down his spine. Fury would have pointed out that Banner would be able to do precious little good if the world was destroyed, but Phil tamped the response down. Antagonising Stark really wouldn't help. Especially since for once the man had let his suave, shallow womaniser facade drop to reveal some of the man beneath. Phil thought the man under the facade was much more worthy than the face Stark had chosen to display previously, but wondered at an organisation of spies failing to dig deeply enough beneath it to find that.

  
'Mr Stark, I take your point and I even agree that your removal of Dr Selvig from Shield, supported by Dr Banner was the right thing to do, but I'm not saying Dr Banner should be excluded from the team or team-building exercises. However, given both his and Natasha's past history and their respective abilities I think building a rapport between her and you and Captain America is more immediately achievable.'

  
'I want to work with Dr Banner, but on a smaller, individual scale. What he's had done to him means there's a lot of ground to cover and breaking it down into smaller stages, with just one or two other people will help him build, hopefully, some trust.' Phil tried to explain clearly, part of the problem Tony had had with Shield was being lied to or denied information, which only exacerbated the rift between them.

Where possible he endeavoured to give Tony the full facts, gradually allowing the man to see he was trustworthy. Ironically Tony's critique of the way Banner's integration was being handled gave Phil a chance to work with Tony without formally committing to anything.

  
Tony knew he was being manipulated, but he was doing the same to Coulson, so fair enough. Hopefully Agent was on the same page as him on this. It would hurt Bruce if Tony destroyed someone on his behalf, but if that was what it took to protect his friend then that was what he'd do.


End file.
